Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Income Taxes

v3.24.0.1
Income Taxes
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2023
Income Taxes  
Income Taxes

(9) Income Taxes

Income tax benefit (expense) consists of:

Years ended December 31,

 

2023

2022

2021

 

amounts in millions

 

Current:

    

    

    

Federal

$

(30)

 

(222)

 

(233)

State and local

 

(2)

 

(1)

 

 

(32)

 

(223)

 

(233)

Deferred:

Federal

 

(160)

 

(51)

 

4

State and local

 

(8)

 

(3)

 

11

 

(168)

 

(54)

 

15

Income tax benefit (expense)

$

(200)

 

(277)

 

(218)

Income tax benefit (expense) differs from the amounts computed by applying the applicable U.S. federal income tax rate of 21% as a result of the following:

Years ended December 31,

2023

2022

2021

 

amounts in millions

 

Computed expected tax benefit (expense)

$

(186)

(322)

(200)

State and local taxes, net of federal income taxes

 

(8)

 

(4)

 

(8)

Nontaxable equity contribution

 

4

 

41

 

2

Change in valuation allowance

 

 

1

 

4

Sale of consolidated subsidiary

 

2

 

15

 

Change in tax rate - other

 

 

 

14

Executive compensation

(5)

(7)

(14)

Litigation settlement

(22)

Other

 

(7)

 

(1)

 

6

Income tax (expense) benefit

$

(200)

 

(277)

 

(218)

For the year ended December 31, 2023, the significant reconciling items, as noted in the table above, are primarily due to state income taxes and certain non-deductible expenses.

For the year ended December 31, 2022, the significant reconciling items, as noted in the table above, are primarily due to the nontaxable decrease in the fair value of the indemnification obligation owed to Qurate Retail and tax benefits from the sale of stock of a subsidiary.

For the year ended December 31, 2021, the significant reconciling items, as noted in the table above, are primarily due to a non-deductible litigation settlement and non-deductible executive compensation, partially offset by tax benefits from a change in effective tax rate used to measure deferred taxes on certain Charter shares.

The tax effects of temporary differences and tax attributes that give rise to significant portions of the deferred income tax assets and deferred income tax liabilities are presented below:

December 31,

 

2023

2022

 

amounts in millions

 

Deferred tax assets:

    

    

    

    

Tax loss and tax credit carryforwards

$

36

 

32

Accrued stock-based compensation

 

15

 

16

Deferred revenue

 

27

 

20

Operating lease liabilities

28

31

Other accrued liabilities

7

28

Other future deductible amounts

 

35

 

41

Total deferred tax assets

 

148

 

168

Less: valuation allowance

 

(1)

 

(1)

Net deferred tax assets

 

147

 

167

Deferred tax liabilities:

Investments

 

(1,871)

 

(1,688)

Fixed assets

(196)

(201)

Intangible assets

(262)

(276)

Debt

(5)

(10)

Operating lease ROU assets

 

(29)

 

(32)

Total deferred tax liabilities

 

(2,363)

 

(2,207)

Net deferred tax asset (liability)

$

(2,216)

 

(2,040)

The Company’s valuation allowance was unchanged in 2023.

At December 31, 2023, Liberty Broadband had deferred tax assets of $36 million for federal and state net operating losses, interest expense carryforwards and tax credit carryforwards. Of the $36 million, $32 million are carryforwards with no expiration. The remaining carryforwards expire at certain future dates. These carryforwards are expected to be utilized prior to expiration, except for $1 million which based on current projections, may expire unused and accordingly are subject to a valuation allowance. The carryforwards that are expected to be utilized begin to expire in 2028.

As of December 31, 2023, the Company had not recorded tax reserves related to unrecognized tax benefits for uncertain tax positions.

As of December 31, 2023, Liberty Broadband’s federal tax years prior to 2020 are closed. However, because Liberty Broadband generated a net operating loss (“NOL”) in 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019, utilization of the NOLs in future years is still subject to adjustment. Liberty Broadband’s 2020 and 2021 tax years are not under IRS examination. Liberty Broadband’s 2022 and 2023 tax years are being examined currently as part of the IRS’s Compliance Assurance Process (“CAP”) program. Because Liberty Broadband’s ownership of Charter is less than the required 80%, Charter is not consolidated with Liberty Broadband for federal income tax purposes. As of December 31, 2023, all GCI tax years prior to 2020 are closed. However, because GCI generated NOLs in tax years prior to 2020, utilization of the NOLs in future years are subject to adjustment. GCI Liberty’s 2020 tax year is not currently under IRS examination, but remains “open” until the statute of limitations expires on October 15, 2024. Prior to the March 9, 2018 GCI Liberty split-off from Qurate Retail, certain GCI Liberty businesses were part of the Qurate Retail, Inc. consolidated federal tax group. Qurate Retail’s tax years prior to 2019 are closed for federal income tax purposes. Various states are currently examining Qurate Retail’s prior years’ state income tax returns.